GLAMORGAN have delayed the decision on whether to employ a second overseas player this season.

Captain Robert Croft, coach John Derrick, chairman Paul Russell and chief executive Mike Fatkin met at Sophia Gardens yesterday in what was believed to have been a positive, though ultimately inconclusive, meeting.

The county's operating group will meet again in Southampton tomorrow, where Glamorgan are starting a four-day Frizzell County Championship contest with Hampshire.

But the fact the operating group will convene twice in 72 hours suggests there are positive moves afoot to finally employ a replacement for Australian paceman Michael Kasprowicz.

Some will say Glamorgan are acting far too late after Croft's Dragons have already lost six matches this season, including the first four championship fixtures.

But at least an increasingly restless membership look set for a little ray of sunshine to illuminate a thoroughly gloomy beginning to the 2005 campaign.

If the operating group finally give the go-ahead for a second overseas star, the question is simple: who should they go for?

It looks fairly certain they will plump for a batsman. But will it be someone who can turn around their championship form or do the county abandon all hope in four-day cricket and concentrate exclusively on defending the totesport League title.

The latter seems the more canny approach, but it depends who is in the world market with such a cluttered international fixture list during the domestic season.

Though Jacques Kallis - the South African all-rounder who had an abbreviated spell at the club in 1999 - has ruled himself out, the likes of top Indian batsman VVS Laxman might be available. But such talent comes at a cost.

Glamorgan might choose to go down the route of identifying young and emerging Australians, and there are plenty of those who would be keen to come across to the UK in an Ashes summer.

Two of that type, Marcus North and Chris Rogers, have already come up against Glamorgan during respective spells with Durham and Derbyshire.

While Glamorgan mull over their next move, Russell has admitted he feels for Derrick at the moment.

"John's under enormous pressure as coach of what is effectively a national side," said Russell.

"But I hope that the board here are not unforgiving and we will do all we can to help him out."

Meanwhile, Gloucestershire are expected to report back to the England and Wales Cricket Board today on the ball tampering row against Glamorgan at Cardiff earlier this month.

Derrick accused Gloucestershire seamer Steve Kirby of roughing up the ball on the Sophia Gardens car park after collecting it following a six hit.

After Derrick submitted a two-page report on the incident, the ECB asked for Gloucestershire to report back to them on their findings.

Glamorgan will head to play Hampshire at the Rose Bowl having discarded Ian Thomas from their line-up.

Thomas is the casualty as bottom-placed Glamorgan look to avert a fifth straight Division One defeat, even though Jonathan Hughes averages little more than six after the last three matches.

Dan Cherry takes Thomas' place after scoring a career-best equalling 47 in the defeat against Surrey at the Oval last week.

Glamorgan are boosted by the return of both Matthew Elliott and Simon Jones, who both missed the Surrey clash with back problems.

Jones is eager to prove his fitness ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh next week.